Back / lumbar spine Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found no evidence of a chronic eye disability, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD), COPD, emphysema, a chronic lung disability based on asbestos exposure, residuals of a back injury, IBS, or a psychosis in service.,The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence linking any claimed conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar DDD is service connected and grants this claim. The issue of a temporary total rating for convalescence following L5-S1 fusion surgery remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability was denied as he does not have a current hearing disability of sufficient severity to constitute a disability for VA compensation purposes.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current back disability, hearing loss, and tinnitus and his active service. The preponderance of the evidence does not support service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and industrial background.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for both hepatitis C and a skin disorder to the RO for additional action due to inadequate assistance at an August 2012 hearing.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete development and need for further medical examination.

The appellant's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board finds that disc disease of the lumbosacral spine had its onset in active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a new VA spine examination and readjudication of his claims.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for entitlement to higher disability ratings for degenerative disc disease with strain of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Veteran's low back disability was granted with a rating of 20 percent, effective November 18, 2010.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine has not met the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent prior to July 21, 2010 or from October 1, 2010 through September 26, 2013. For the period of September 27, 2013 through January 7, 2016, it has not met the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 40 percent. After January 8, 2016, it has not met the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, skin disability, hypertension, and low back disability. The decision found no current diagnosis of these conditions prior to or during the pendency of the claim, and there was insufficient evidence linking any diagnosed disabilities to military service.

The Veteran's claim for increased disability rating for his service-connected multi-level degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal concerning his increased rating for degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, rated as 40 percent disabling. The claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for sciatica of the left lower extremity is denied.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disorder and found that the Veteran's right shoulder disability did not preclude him from obtaining TDIU. The Veteran appealed the decision regarding his right shoulder disability to the Court, which vacated the portion of the June 2014 Board decision holding that TDIU was not raised by the record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a social and industrial survey to determine his ability to work due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's back disability (lumbosacral strain) is service-connected.,Service connection for bilateral knee disability, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and hypertension is not granted.

The Veteran's low back disability was rated at 20 percent from October 25, 2007 to December 19, 2015. The evidence showed that the Veteran experienced pain and limited range of motion but did not meet criteria for higher ratings based on ankylosis or intervertebral disc syndrome.